St. Peter’s Church

St. Peter’s Church suffered a massive fire on January 17, 1997. EverGreene recreated the swirling trompe l’oeil Gothic tracery across the vaulted ceiling and over the side aisles based on only 2-1/2 bays of alternating pattern, buried under thick soot. EverGreene’s team began by tracing patterns on vellum for documentation, and then pored over hundreds of historical
photos for further evidence.

Missing areas were extrapolated from research of Gothic geometry. The original colors used to achieve the 3-dimensional effect of the trompe l’oeil were identified through microscopic analysis of the paint chips. EverGreene also replaced lost portraits of saints and Stations of the Cross around the nave and chancel, in a style consistent with the originals. Conservation technicians stabilized surviving sections of the walls with intact decorative painting by injecting adhesives and consolidants. Stenciling, lettering, and gold-leaf highlights were applied to the walls, arches, and plaster ornament to match the historic treatment. Finally lost portraits of saints and Stations of the Cross around the nave and chancel were reproduced in a style consistent with the originals.